Two Cute Juvenile Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) at Dusk

Posted on August 14, 2016 by R & L

We had arrived at the Tundra RV Campsite in Tok, Alaska after our visit to Dawson City, YT in “Snowflake” over the “Top of the World Highway”.  We had heard very mixed and dour descriptions of the Highway, which is why we decided to leave “Tigger” in Chicken, AK and make the journey in Snowflake – but that is for another blog post.

We loved this campsite for many reasons, perhaps the most important was that we were camped between tall pine trees, the screen between sites.  We had a very adequate pull-through and did not have to disconnect the trailer.  We could also wash our car and coach (for the immense fee of $15) and we had full hook-ups with 50amp service.

Having enjoyed out barbecued steak and salad and watched a great film, Louise then decided to investigate the curious “Screech” birdcall that we had been hearing.  Louise came rushing back whispering that there were two owls in the same tree.

So I assembled my gear and we went “stalking”.  The two owls had moved  but turned out to be juvenile Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) and were undoubtedly siblings.

The first video shows the elder owlet on the tip of a thin snag trying to keep its balance while the other owlet was in the next tree (off screen) bouncing around.  During the fight for balance on the snag, the owlet breaks off the twig from the top of the snag and clearly does not know what to make of it.

The second video shows the elder owlet in a small birch tree and the second one comes to join in the fun.

The third and fourth videos show them interacting together, side by side, on the branch and then finally departing one at a time.

I hope you enjoy and find them as cute as we do.

Gear: Nikon D4s, Nikkor 600mm f/4 VRII, Nikkor TC-14 EII, Lexar Digital Film, RRS Tripod & Gimbal Head, Spotter – Louise

Posted in Birds, Diurnal Raptors, Owls, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

All The Scoter Species Together – Feeding Frenzy

Posted on May 23, 2016 by R & L

One of the great things about full-timing is the amount of serendipity around.  We just happened to be in Haines at the perfect time to witness this phenomenon although we were looking for Eagles and Whales!

We first saw Surf Scoters (Melanitta perspicillata) in a small group, maybe four or five, in the Pacific Ocean from a pier in Southern California in January, 2016.  Since then we continued to encounter them in small groups as we headed North up the coast of California, Oregon and Washington on our way to summer in Alaska.  But never in the numbers to prepare us for this!

There were thousands of Surf Scoters (Melanitta perspicillata) with a few Black Scoters (Melanitta americana) and a few White-winged Scoters (Melanitta fascia) mixed into the group.  They formed a fairly orderly column from the shore of Chilkoot Inlet and Lutak Inlet into the centre of the inlet.

Click on a photograph (not video) to add to your collection

Surf Scoters, Black Scoters and White-winged Scoters in a feeding frenzy

Surf Scoters, Black Scoters and White-winged Scoters in a feeding frenzy

They were feeding on the muscles just off shore where they could dive deep enough to get the muscles.  The leading hundred or so would dive, stay down for 20 – 30 seconds and then bob up through the surface having eaten their muscle.  Then they would paddle back through the column to let the next group dive for food.

wildlife birding photographs Haines, AK

wildlife birding photographs Haines, AK

We were just impressed by the “organized chaos” that we could see, not only of the birds who had just eaten paddling back through those coming in to eat, but the group of satiated Scoters towards the centre of the Inlet and also the groups continuously flying in to join in the feast.

Surf Scoters flying in to the feeding frenzy during migration

Surf Scoters flying in to the feeding frenzy during migration

We stood and watched for perhaps half an hour, then moved on – to find another column!

Surf Scoters, Black Scoters and White-winged Scoters in a feeding frenzy

Surf Scoters, Black Scoters and White-winged Scoters in a feeding frenzy

On the way back there was no trace of the previous column.  They had gorged on the muscles at that spot and moved along the inlet to form another “orderly” feeding column.

Click on this link to go to the gallery with Scoter Images

Gear: Nikon D4s, Nikkor 600.0mm f/4, Nikkor TC-17 EII, RRS Tripod, RRS Gimbal Head, Lexar Digital Film

Posted in Birds, Geese & Ducks, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Why do they call Haliaeetus leucocephalus “Snow Pigeons” ?

Posted on May 18, 2016 by R & L

I can understand why the folks in Haines call the Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Snow Pigeons.  There are so many of them!!

We have recently had the pleasure and thrill of attending Shorebird Festivals in Cordova, AK and Homer, AK.  Throughout our trek North we have been hearing that spring is about month early – Northern California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Yukon Territory and Alaska.  Unfortunately the shorebirds had worked this out for themselves, so we have caught the tail end of each migration.

Nevertheless we have had such fun – 5.5 boat rides to and from Cordova, beach hikes in Homer and Anchor Point.  The most prevalent bird? Yes the Bald Eagle.  Louise is still surprised each time she spots a Bald Eagle and doesn’t quite understand my ambivalence to them – unless they are in an unusual context or pose (how to make the usual look interesting).

So, here are a few of my recent shots of Bald Eagles, to prove to Louise that I do still like shooting them!

(Click on image to add to your collection)

Photograph of a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) posing, Homer, AK

Photograph of a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) posing, Homer, AK

Photograph of a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) posing, Homer, AK

Photograph of a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) posing, Homer, AK

Photograph of a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) posing, Homer, AK

Photograph of a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) posing, Homer, AK

Photography Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) at Anchor Point, AK

Photography Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) at Anchor Point, AK

Photography Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) having dinner at Anchor Point, AK

Photography Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) having dinner at Anchor Point, AK

Photography Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) having dinner at Anchor Point, AK

Photography Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) having dinner at Anchor Point, AK

Photography Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) having dinner at Anchor Point, AK

Photography Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) having dinner at Anchor Point, AK

Click here to go to my full Gallery for Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Gear: Nikon D4s, Nikkor 600.0mm f/4 VRII; Nikkor TC-17 EII, Lexar Digital Film, Really Right Stuff Tripod, Really Right Stuff Gimbal Head

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Eel Fishing at Klamath River Estuary

Posted on April 13, 2016 by R & L

We are at our last stop in California on our gradual way up the west coast for our summer trip to Alaska.  Near the campsite is a circular drive to the ocean, so we decided to take the drive.

As we are heading round the bend we see something ahead on the shoulder, simultaneously we both think is that a bear? No it can’t be! Oh yes it is!

So I stop and get a few clicks in.

Brown bear, Klamath, CA

Brown bear, Klamath, CA

As the bear heads down the slope out of view we continue our trip.  At the furthermost point we turn the bend and look down on the Klamath River as it meets the Pacific Ocean.  There are large shingle banks each side of the river strewn with “driftwood”, not the normal driftwood we have seen, these are whole tree trunks.  Then some of the driftwood on the far bank starts to move and through the bins we see they are sea lions basking in the sun.

Sea Lions Basking, Klamath River Estuary, CA

Sea Lions Basking, Klamath River Estuary, CA

We head down to the entrance for the river estuary and a group of Yurok Indians are heading out, some in thigh waders, all with curious looking homemade hooks.  We ask and are informed that they are going eel fishing.  Wow, neither of us have witnessed this before.  So we head out too, me armed with my Nikon!

The eel fishermen had a discussion, probably where best to catch then dispersed to stand in the shallow edge of the river or ocean.

Yurok Indian eelers Klamath River Estuary, CA

Yurok Indian eelers Klamath River Estuary, CA

The river is very strong and we see some sea lions are out there competing with the fishermen and they are riding the current from the river, diving, coming up with eels hanging out of their mouths while maintaining station.

Sea lions fishing, Klamath River Estuary, CA

Sea lions fishing, Klamath River Estuary, CA

Suddenly the nearby fisherman hooks an eel, starts whirling it around his head as he moves up the beach a little to deposit it in his keep net.  We asked about the practice and were told that as the hooks do not have barbs, the circling motion is to keep the eel on the hook otherwise it would simply wriggle off.

Eeler watching for his prey, Klamath River Estuary, CA

Eeler watching for his prey, Klamath River Estuary, CA

Hooked, Klamath River Estuary, CA

Hooked, Klamath River Estuary, CA

Swinging the eel on the hook, Klamath River Estuary, CA

Swinging the eel on the hook, Klamath River Estuary, CA

Eel to the keep net, Klamath River Estuary, CA

Eel to the keep net, Klamath River Estuary, CA

Research afterwards told us that the Yuroks have been doing this for centuries at the Klamath River estuary.  In fact these are not eels but eel like parasitic fish called a Pacific lamprey.  They have sucker mouths with sharp teeth and latch onto the sides of salmon.  They do not kill the host, but take a circle of the flesh, as witnessed when the salmon are caught.

While we were there most of the fishermen caught several eels.

On our walk back we watched a Peregrin Falcon (Falco peregrinus) on his driftwood perch on the beach, until he took off.

Peregrin Falcon (Falco peregrines) leaves his driftwood perch, Klamath River Estuary, CA

Peregrin Falcon (Falco peregrines) leaves his driftwood perch, Klamath River Estuary, CA

Gear: Nikon D4s, Nikkor 80.0-400.0mm f.4.5-5.6 VRIII, Nikkor TC-17 EII, Lexar Digital Film

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Heading North Now

Posted on April 9, 2016 by R & L

Having slowly moved North from Southern California, through the coastal rain forests of Oregon and Washington (in order to let the sub-zero daily high temperatures in the Yukon Territory warm up), we spent over a week in Chilliwack, British Columbia as our sort of base camp.  Here we made sure we had a clean Tigger and Snowflake with all the essential fluids topped up.  We happily discovered the magic of Mothers Metal Polish for Mag Wheels (Tigger has one gleaming front wheel!) and made a few minor repairs to Tigger.

We had also heard from a neighbour, who made the Alaska trip last year, that although he only had two chips in his windscreen (one from a 5th wheel that went flying past him) the front of his tow car got peppered.  True his car was towed on the ground and Snowflake is on the Sled, but, for insurance, we managed to find somewhere to fabricate an marine aluminium guard attached to the front of the Sled, so (touch wood, ouch I got a splinter from my head) Snowflake should emerge unpeppered!

So yesterday we left Chilliwack heading for Cache Creek.

We stopped for lunch at a pullout with a spectacular view and beautiful puffies.

Lunch 7 Apr

As we headed towards Cache Creek, Louise studying “Milepost” (kindly donated with many other useful tomes) to say that there wasn’t much to say about Cache Creek, but about half an hour short there was this “Log Cabin Pub”.  The trees for the logs were individually selected and many were over 50′ long, which is most unusual.  So we pulled in to see what it was like.

Log Cabin Pub, Spences Bridge, BC

Log Cabin Pub, Spences Bridge, BC

We liked what we saw, we were welcome to boondock in the car park – so we “outspanned” and enjoyed a couple of cool pints of Ricard’s Red.  Then went for a walk along the Thompson River to a local waterfall, got a little sunburn, returned for some more pints and some really good fish & chips!

Interior Log Cabin Pub, Spences Bridge, BC

Interior Log Cabin Pub, Spences Bridge, BC

Collection of Motorcycle models (central one with large white tyres the original Harley Davidson! Log Cabin Pub, Spences Bridge, BC

Collection of Motorcycle models (central one with large white tyres the original Harley Davidson! Log Cabin Pub, Spences Bridge, BC

Then had a peaceful night, apart from the trains hooting at the local level crossing, at the “camping” spot of our choice – the real freedom of the road our Alaska trip is based on!

Today we headed for Prince George, the largest city in Northern British Columbia (but it has a Costco!).

The drive through Fraser Canyon was just sublime.  Some mountains had snow caps, spring had arrived just about everywhere so the deciduous trees were wearing that bright “new shoots” green, the sun was out and hot, the sky was blue with nice puffies and Tigger was just purrrrring………

We stopped at on overlook on the Fraser River showing some railway tunnels and of course the odd mile or so of goods train passing through.

IMG_3155

Good train along the Fraser River

Good train along the Fraser River

Then for lunch at Wilson Lake.

Panorama from Wilson lake

Panorama from Wilson lake

Now we rest in a good campground, Blue Cypress, for two nights so that we can check out the area tomorrow.

Gear: iPhone 6

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